- Sunday, April 28, 2024
India skipper Harmanpreet Singh set the tone of the match by scoring two goals within 23 minutes.
By: Shubham Ghosh
IN a display of sheer dominance, captain Harmanpreet Singh’s expertise in penalty corners shone through as India resoundingly overpowered arch-rivals Pakistan with a commanding 4-0 victory, upholding their impeccable record in the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Chennai on Wednesday (9).
India, already assured a semifinal berth, exhibited a poised and assertive gameplay in the match, while Pakistan struggled to keep pace.
The opening quarter saw Harmanpreet seize the opportunity as he converted India’s first penalty corner, unleashing a potent low flick to the left of Pakistan’s goalkeeper Akmal Hussain. The momentum stayed in India’s favour as the 23rd minute brought their second penalty corner, a moment Harmanpreet seized again, this time with an intense drag-flick splitting the legs of Pakistan’s goalkeeper.
Persistently mounting offensive pressure, India consistently probed Pakistan’s defense, reaping rewards with consecutive penalty corners in the 30th minute. Yet, Harmanpreet faltered on both occasions. Contesting the fairness of a denied goal, India requested a video review, alleging the ball’s obstruction by a Pakistan player’s foot, but the appeal was dismissed by the video referee.
Half-time arrived with India in a commanding 2-0 lead. Early into the third quarter, India’s relentless pursuit of dominance bore fruit as Jugraj Singh converted a penalty corner, pushing the host team comfortably ahead at 3-0. A rare penalty corner opportunity emerged for Pakistan in the 43rd minute, which they squandered.
The 55th minute marked India’s supremacy yet again, as Akashdeep Singh deflected Mandeep Singh’s strike, bolstering the scoreline to a resounding 4-0. Throughout the game, India earned five penalty corners and capitalised on three of them, showcasing their remarkable prowess in set-piece execution.
India will play Japan in the semif-finals on Friday (11) while Pakistan will play China in the fifth-place decider game the same day. South Korea will meet Malaysia in the other semi-final.
(With agency inputs)
